A man has been
arrested and charged for the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old Black transgender
woman in Trenton, New Jersey.
Daniel L.
Smith, 36, of Ewing, New Jersey, faces multiple charges, including one count of
murder and weapon offenses, for allegedly killing Shai Vanderpump, a trans
woman and prominent LGBTQ rights advocate, reports the Trentonian. According to the paper, the Mercer
County Prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit apprehended Smith during a
traffic stop on July 31. This comes just a day after the same outlet reported
that the Trenton Police Department responded to an early morning call that
Vanderpump was shot in the face in a home at 55 Kelsey Avenue. That morning,
Vanderpump was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
An affidavit
obtained by the Trentonian shows that the perpetrator attempted to
cover up the incident. Following the attack, Smith called 911 and indicated
that “someone pulled him out of bed” and “was shot in the residence,” according to the affidavit. but a witness later
identified the suspect’s voice in the 911 recording. Authorities noted that
Smith was the only person to report that the victim was shot.
In a statement on Facebook, Garden State Equality, an LGBTQ
advocacy group, described Vanderpump as “a fierce LGBTQ advocate,” adding that
they are “devastated” by her tragic death.
“[We] will
fight to bring justice to Shai and her loved ones. #JusticeforShai,” the post
continued.
Officials and
advocacy groups believe the attack was motivated by hate and are collaborating
on the investigation.
In the wake of
Vanderpump’s death, Victoria Kirby York, the National Black Justice Coalition’s
deputy executive director, voiced calls for lawmakers to develop policies that
prevent anti-trans attacks.
“It is
absolutely devastating to have another young, Black, transgender woman stolen
from us too soon,” Kirby York said in a written statement. “This epidemic
of violence has continued for far too long, without enough action being taken
to address it and protect the lives of some of the most vulnerable in our
community. What we have seen are attacks on the community in the form of
anti-trans legislation across the country, that does nothing more than further
the discrimination and oppression the trans community already faces.”
Kirby York
added, “Legislation needs to be codified to help prevent violence and
prioritize the safety of the trans community. All of us have to fight against
the transphobia and misogyny that fuels this violence and stigma that is
present and too often accepted in our communities.”
Like many
transgender victims, Vanderpump was misgendered by police and in local media
reports, which may have delayed advocates from correctly identifying the victim.
The slain woman’s relatives slapped on further transphobic bias by misgendering
and deadnaming her in a GoFundMe,
which was set up in her honor.
In a written
statement, Tori Cooper, HRC’s director of community engagement for the
Transgender Justice Initiative, condemned the wave of violence against the
trans community.
“The loss of
Shai Vanderpump is devastating,” Cooper said in a written statement. “Shai was a well-known
LGBTQ advocate in New Jersey, and her loss will be felt by her friends, family,
and local community, as well as the wider LGBTQ community. Her life should
never have been taken. Too many transgender and gender non-conforming lives
have already been lost. We need everyone, in every state, city, and community,
to help bring an end to this senseless violence and stigma that so often
impacts Black trans women.”
After a
record-high 44 known transgender Americans were killed last year, the spate of
deadly violence has spilled into 2021. In April,
two Black transgender women were shot to death in hotel rooms in North
Carolina. Earlier this year, there were back to back trans murders, which
included Davarea “Tyianna” Alexander, who was shot
and killed in Chicago on January 6; Samuel Edmund
Damián Valentín, who died in Puerto Rico on January 9; and Natasha
Keianna, who was found dead in an SUV in Detroit on January 12.
SOURCE: GAY CITY NEWS
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